Page 32 of Toward Immortal Ruin

Eden strode forward towards the frothy waves, gasping at the contact, clearly chilled. He was reminded again how vulnerable humans were without the supernatural defenses he took for granted. His mate looked particularly fragile to him, and he soonjoined her in the surf, keeping an eye on her to ensure she didn’t fall or start shivering too hard.

A pang of guilt lanced through him. She had taken his word and come with him to Oahu, secure in the trust that he was telling her the truth. Nero had been—but he hadn’t given her the entire story. The fact that he’d kept his immortality a secret sat like poison in his gut. Even though she was here on clan lands, a stray teleport or any hint of a psychic ability would compromise everything.

He knew there would be no better time to come clean.

“Eden, I haven’t been entirely truthful with you.”

Suspicion flared wildly within her, battering against his ability. “No?”

“We’ve been tracking theCitizensfor years. After the first attack in New York, we realized this wasn’t simply a case of vampire hunters who got more of a thrill from the title than the job itself.”

“You keep saying ‘we,’” she replied, studying him. “Who is ‘we?’”

“A conglomerate of nations who’ve unified to take them down. It’s bigger than just me and my team. It’s a worldwide effort, and there are multiple vested parties. The initiative is far bigger than you think.”

Relief washed over her face, and he could sense as much through his gifts, but that hadn’t been the reveal. As he thought through how he could explain that the myths she studied weren’t fake, she suddenly shrieked and flailed beside him.

“Shark!”

Her fear sent his own panic response into motion. Grabbing her waist, he hauled her up and out of the water and into his arms. As he scoured the darkening waters, ready to teleport damn the consequences, he saw that it had been Butterflyfish instead of a predator.

“Just a fish, professor,” he chuckled. “You’re safe, I promise.”

Her arms were linked tightly around his neck, and she held her feet up and out of the water. “I think I’ve had my fill of ocean now.”

Expelling the tension that’d followed their sudden fright, Nero secured her against his chest and began wading toward the beach. “Let’s work on swimming tomorrow in the morning light, professor.”

A part of him was discouraged. After hyping himself up to reveal the nature of what he was, and how she would factor into the equation, it no longer seemed the right time. The fright in the water had leached the last tendrils of energy from her. Exhaustion came off her in waves.

Even when they made it on the beach, Nero didn’t put her down. He reached down for her shoes, then continued to hold her in a bridal carry all the way back up the boardwalk and over the threshold into his home. It was another gesture that felt symbolic and right to do with his mate—even if she didn’t yet know what she was to him.

“Chivalry isn’t dead,” came Eden’s small voice, her head resting on his shoulder. “My hero.”

He might’ve saved her this time, but it was Eden who was making his life worth living.

Chapter Ten

Being squeamish was notsomething Eden took pride in. When the ‘shark’ had briefly touched her leg below the water, her automatic reaction had taken over. Clinging to Nero like a lifeline had damaged her chic professor status, if not in his eyes, then hers.

Finding out it was a Butterflyfish and not a Hammerhead was reassuring, but she still didn’t want to get back in the dark water after the ordeal.

She had taken great comfort in the fact that Nero had carried her up from the beach. While she could admit that it had taken a moment to get used to, she had never felt more like a princess. The man was competing for knighthood.

It only made her feel even worse about keeping her illness from him. She would have to tell him—and soon. Pharmacies could easily be switched, and pills could be taken in secret, but if she suffered a stroke while here on the island, her medical history would be important.

Arguably worse was that she’d kissed him, taking advantage of his naivety and living out a fantasy where she had a future aheadof her. Part of her wanted to remain here forever—to enjoy this small slice of happiness without worrying about where it would lead.

Like a gentleman, Nero was letting her lead this dance between them. If he was developing feelings for her, it would only hurt him in the long run. The thought sat ill with her.

Remorse and shame dueled within her, and when she shifted in his arms, he immediately put her down. While her first instinct was to run back to her room and stop imposing on her gracious host, he clearly had other ideas.

“Did you happen to bring a swimsuit? I have just the ticket for fighting off the chill.”

“Of course,” she replied. “Coming to Hawaii without one didn’t seem right.”

“Would you like to try the jacuzzi, in that case?”

Excitement made some of her negative emotions fade. “Absolutely! Why didn’t you mention that sooner? I’ll go get changed!”

---